1. Improving Quality Systemwide
October 11, 2012

2. What is your role in afterschool?

3. NEW resource: Building Citywide systems for quality
NEW resource from The Wallace Foundation and the Forum for Youth Investment, available online:
Includes:
How-to guide
Six case studies
Capacity self-assessment tool

4. Today’s speakers Nicole Yohalem Charles Smith Laura La Fuente
Director, Special Projects
Charles Smith
Executive Director, CYPQ
VP for Research, Forum for Youth Investment
Laura La Fuente
Director, Target Graduation
Denice Williams
Assistant Commissioner

5. Why focus on quality improvement?
Quality Matters
Quality is Measurable
Quality is Malleable

6. Quality matters
In a 2007 meta-analysis of 73 evaluations, afterschool programs on average had positive effects on:
Attitudes toward school
Social behavior
School grades and achievement test scores
Reduced problem behaviors from aggression
But programs without specific quality features had NO effect.
-Durlak & Weissberg (2007)

7. Common Elements of Quality
Quality is measurable
Tool & Developer
Common Elements of Quality
Afterschool Program Assessment System
National Institute on Out-of-School Time
Youth Engagement
Skill-Building
Relationships
Environment
Routines & Structure
Behavior Management
Organizational Management
Family/Community Linkages
Youth Program Quality Assessment
David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality
Youth Program Quality Monitoring Tool
Policy Studies Associates

8. Quality is malleable
Key findings from the Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI) Study
A continuous quality improvement strategy:
Improves program quality (and the more, the better).
Works across different types of afterschool systems as well as challenging staffing conditions, and may increase staff tenure.
Appears to be sustainable and cost-effective.
- Smith et al (2012)

9. Improving Quality Systemwide
Charles Smith
Executive Director, Center for Youth Program Quality
VP for Research, Forum for Youth Investment

10. Components of an effective QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM (QIS)
Shared definition of quality
Lead organization
Engaged stakeholders
Continuous improvement model
Information system(s)
Guidelines and incentives for participation
Adequate resources

11. Building a qis: Stages and tasks

12. How far along are you in building a quality improvement system?

13. Improving Quality Systemwide
Laura LaFuente
Director, Target Graduation
United Way for Greater Austin

14. History of youth program quality at united way for greater austin:
Fall 2008
United Way trained first set of assessors
Spring 2008
Fall 2012
2007
First Austin sent first cohort of Methods trainers
Out-of-School Time Agenda
Austin’s Ready by 21 Coalition awarded Quality Counts grant
United Way, Central Texas Afterschool Network and Ready by 21 began building and implementing Austin improvement systems.
Since 2008:
294 assessments were conducted
38 organizations were assessed
481 individuals have participated in at least one training
34 individuals were trained as Methods trainers – 17 are still active
32 individuals were trained as External Assessors – 22 are still active

15. youth program quality initiative Cycle of improvement
Assess Program (External or Self Assessor): Collect data about your program.
Create Improvement Plan: Develop a plan based on collected data.
Attend Professional Development: Staff attends professional development sessions that align with what they want to improve.
Assess Program Again (External or Self Assessor): Reassess the program and see if areas have improved.
More Professional Development: If the plan was successful, have more staff attend the professional development.

16. Improving Quality Systemwide
Denice Williams
Assistant Commissioner
New York City Department of
Youth & Community Development

17. DYCD Out-of-School Time Initiative
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
DYCD Out-of-School Time Initiative
DYCD funds nonprofits to provide a wide range of high-quality programs including:
Adolescent Literacy
The Out-of-School Time Initiative
Beacon Community Centers
Cornerstone
Summer Youth Employment
TEEN Action/Service Learning 17 17

18. Out-of-School Time System
Elements of the
Out-of-School Time System
Quality Services
Capacity Building
Evaluation 18

19. INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT QUALITY
DYCD Out-of-School Time
2013 Program Orientation
Programs
RFP, New Program Design & Required Program Activities
New Workscope and Budget
Program Quality Monitoring Tool (PQMT), Coaching & Observing for Quality & Annual Evaluation (VENDEX )
Professional Development, Technical Assistance & Conferences
DYCD Online 19 19

20. Key issues in building a QIS
Stakeholder engagement
Clarifying purpose
Sustainability

21. NEW resource: Building Citywide systems for quality
NEW resource from The Wallace Foundation and the Forum for Youth Investment, available online:
Includes:
How-to guide
Six case studies
Capacity self-assessment tool

22. Improving Quality Systemwide will be archived at: www
Improving Quality Systemwide will be archived at: and Please direct follow up questions to: Nicole Yohalem at or (202) Thank you for participating!